


Dying Hope

by salty_m00gle



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blood, Body Horror, Human Experimentation, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Inaccurate Medical Shit, Injury, MT Prompto, Psychological Trauma, Save Prompto 2k17, Spoilers for game, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 08:23:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9811151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salty_m00gle/pseuds/salty_m00gle
Summary: Upon falling off the train to Tenebrae, Prompto finds himself injured and in the clutches of The Empire with no sign of his comrades. When Verstael Besithia learns of his presence, instincts take over and he finds himself delivering justice for his son's departure to Insomnia as a child. After all, an MT with so much potential can't just go to waste now, can it?!!! UPDATED 27/6/17 !!!Chapters have been doubled in size, no content has changed within these chapters other than the length.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, I've dabbled in Fanfiction before and posted a couple piece on FF.net wayyyy back in the day but now I want to seriously write something for my own enjoyment (as well as the enjoyment of others) and be happy with the finished product. In general, I'm a big Final Fantasy fan and I finished XV a couple months ago.
> 
> I fucking loved it and it was totally worth the wait. Now, as well as being a sucker for Final Fantasy and Fanfiction I particularly love stories that focus on injury and hurt/comfort. So I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and torture our little ray of sunshine, Prompto (hee heeeeeEEeeE). I don't really know where I'm going to go with the fic which could backfire on me in the long run but, I'm willing to give it a shot. This could be two chapters long or fifty-two chapters long.
> 
> I'll keep everyone updated along the way and I'll try and get chapters out consistently. I don't mind criticism but I bruise like a peach so be gentle. Anyway, enough chit-chat, let's get started!!
> 
> Sorry in advance for any errors

Everything moved in slow motion. Prompto's pale arms flailed uselessly as he tried to keep his balance in favor of the train rather than the speeding tundra beneath him. But it wasn't enough. Noctis tackled him with enough force to easily knock him off the moving train with a snarl and a look of nothing but pure hatred marred on his face. As he was falling Prompto thought he saw what was a look of instant regret in Noctis' eyes but the thought was quickly replaced with ferocious pain.

The gunner's body literally bounced off the cold, hard terrain, once...twice and before he could register the initial agony, he felt himself roll mercilessly down a rocky ravine unable to stop the growing momentum. It seemed to last forever until he felt a whole new level of pain, this time coming from the side of his skull which slammed into a particularly sharp piece of rock. His brain jostled in his skull like milk encased in a coconut as white hot pain spread from his right temple to the rest of his head. The throb from his head among the rest of his body (namely the right side) was so significant he hadn't even realised that he had come to a stop at the bottom of the ravine. He hung on to consciousness as the adrenaline still clung to his still form.

Breathing hard he tried to make a coherent thought as to what had just happened and how he was still alive. His vision became impaired in his right eye as blood freely flowed into his retina making him blink furiously. With his right arm, he attempted to wipe away the irritating substance but was stopped immediately as an insufferable ache in his radius made the blonde groan loudly between gasps. Looking down to his arm which was slumped uselessly over his torso, hand resting on the ground, he felt ill. The bone hadn't broken through but it was clear his lower arm was split cleanly from the shard of bone protruding against the skin. He swallowed deeply trying not to pass out from the sight. He was never really one to feel squeamish with this sort of thing but it's a different story when you're the one physically affected. 

Panic seeped into his mind as it suddenly dawned on him the events that only took place a few minutes ago which saw him lying seriously injured on a deserted, cold embankment. Ardyn. It was his doing. He tricked Noct, he was the one who made him push him off the train. It had to be right? Sure, Noctis had been off the past few weeks, but it was normal considering the circumstances. His father and fiancee had both been murdered and his Kingdom was in ruins. He would never do anything to hurt Prompto. It was that weirdo Chancellor, it had to be. As if on cue, Prompto heard the all too familiar whirl of engines to his right. Whipping his head over his right shoulder, he could see an Imperial airship looming in the distance.

'Shit.'

Adrenaline kicked back into his system as he desperately searched the surrounding area for the first time since his being grounded to a halt on the stony incline. To his left, he could see what looked to be a wooded area. As much as his body begged and protested, he shifted his weight as carefully as he could further onto his left side. Using the energy he had left, he pushed himself into a crouched position before moving his left hand to support his limp, mangled right forearm. A wave of dizziness came over Prompto as he touched his right arm. Managing to keep his balance he closed his eyes tight hoping it would subside more quickly and forced his legs to stand with all his strength. A sound of something in between a weep and a scream escaped his lips as he stood a full height and tried his utmost not to disturb his broken appendage. 

Being caught up in the injuries adoring his body, Prompto didn't become fully aware of just how close the Imperial airship was until he glanced back into the distance and saw that it was almost upon him. With a gasp of panic and desperation, he made for the wooded area ahead of him. As much as he hated to admit it, he was petrified. He was alone, seriously injured and there was a Nif airship above him. How the hell did he get into this situation? 

'Ardyn, that's how.' he thought bitterly.

Running as fast as his broken body would take him he finally made it to the safety of the dense forest, continuing to run through the thick dull greenery. He looked behind him to see the airship landing somewhere near where he had lay not even ten minutes ago. Panic crept into his chest again as he ran faster with new vigor, trying not to hyperventilate. From years of running, his cardio was of a high level but he'd never had to run with such desperation in his entire life. 

'Keep going, just keep going.'

He tried to calm his thoughts as best he could. Glancing over his shoulder for a second time and seeing what he feared the most. MT's spilled from the ship's rear and this time Prompto was hyperventilating. It would be a different story if Gladio, Ignis and Noct were here but they weren't. His firearm was nowhere to be found, there's no way he could take out a group of MT's alone in his current state. He focused his attention forward again only to be met with the bark of a tree. Dodging slightly to the right, he clipped the tree with this left shoulder and lost his footing as he came into contact with the leafy cold terrain. His limp right arm that he had clutched to his chest with the help of his left was the first to make contact with the ground. And this time instead of a welp, he screamed. He hadn't meant to. The last thing he wanted was to make the MT's aware of his presence but the pain was too much. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he squirmed on the ground, writhing in a state of agony he'd never felt before. 

'Get up, you have to get up.'

Lightheadedness was taking over him but he had to get up and at least hide. It was his only way of trying to throw the MT's off. They had most certainly heard his scream by now and would be moving to his current location in a matter of seconds. As though reading his thoughts, Prompto heard a faint clanging of metal in the stretch of land behind him. He didn't need to be told twice this time. He scanned the area finding a large collection of rocks ahead. He didn't make it to a full stand this time, instead he was crawling low and as stealthy as he possibly could until his back was against the group of boulders. 

Listening intently, he still heard the footsteps of cold metal in the distance but none of them seemed to be any closer. Closing his sky blue eyes, he tried to regain his breathing and focus on the sound of the MT's in the distance.

"Hello, Prompto."

The blonde's eyes flew open at the familiar, chilling, posh accent he had grown to despise. Taking in the image before him made him want to get up and beat the man within an inch of his life but he was frozen on the spot, a new level of fear lurking into his mind and body. Ardyn tilted his head and gave a somewhat sympathetic look at the young man.

"No need to look so frightened Dear Prompto." Adryn announced in a fake manner. 

Prompto was struggling to keep his anger in check now, his breathing hitched and he finally plucked up the courage to say something back to the chancellor.

"Y-you...You tricked him. You murdered Luna! You fu-"

"Ah, ah, ah! Language." Ardyn said cutting Prompto off, as if scolding a child. He squatted down in front of the injured gunner at eye level and sized him up, eyes lingering on his bracelet clad wrist. This time he spoke with a softer tone.

"You say these things, Prompto, but your image is clouded. You see, we're not too different from one another when you look into it."

Prompto stared at him with anger and confusion across his features. The Chancellor stood and before he could spit a comeback, he pulled out a small black device that sort of resembled a gun and aimed it at his chest. There was a soft bang and a crackling noise then his body was convulsing in painful spasms. He couldn't think, his vision blurred as his torso arched from the boulder supporting his back and he slumped to the side. As quickly as the taster's charge had started, it finished and through hazy eyes and labored breaths, Prompto looked to see Ardyn walking into the distance and two MT's moving towards him. His thoughts were jumbled and as hard as he tried, exhaustion took over and he slipped into darkness.

 

* * *

 

He could hear them laughing at him. Prompto's camera and frames were tossed in front of him as he knelt on the ground, his sight blurry due to his glasses being removed by one of his torments. He was used to being isolated but only once every so often would kids tease him about his plump body and lack of friends. They walked off into the mild sunset that Insomnia graced this particular evening and Prompto remained quiet like he always did.

He was just trying to take some pictures of the lovely pastel colours the sky was sporting from up on the hill when they saw their opportunity and seized it. Upon putting his glasses back on his face, he could now see the full extent of the damage on his digital camera. Thankfully just a few scratches to the burgundy paint, nothing major. But it still didn't change how he felt anytime he was reminded how of much of a lonely loser he was.

Sighing deeply, he rose to his feet and continued walking home to his apartment trying to pay no heed to the tears that gathered behind his glasses.

 

* * *

 

The first thing that came back to Prompto was his sense of smell. It was sharp and clean, sickly and sterile. Like when you clean your bathroom and the pungent disinfectant catches the back of your throat. He wrinkled his nose at the scent but as he did he felt something tickle at the edges of his nostrils. Trying to figure out what it was, he attempted to summon the strength in his arm to reach up and feel what was causing his slight discomfort. Forgetting about the state of his right arm and out of pure habit, he attempted to lift his hand to his nose but was stopped almost immediately by a defined ache resonating from it. It felt unnaturally stiff, almost like when you recover from a petrification ailment.

Groaning, he relaxed his muscles in his arm and thought against the idea. He sensed someone moving next to him but it was unclear what the person said. It was as if he was listening to them from behind a door.

"Noct?" he asked. His voice sounded unusual. It was slurred and deep as if he had been on a drunken escapade and the alcohol still hadn't left his system the morning after. He opened his eyes slightly but the bright lights around him caused him to shut them rapidly before he attempted to open them once more.

"...ake...sedat...put him...cell."

Prompto tired to make sense of what the person said but it was unclear. Feeling a small prick in his left arm, he immediately tensed on instinct but as quick as the annoyance came, it was gone and replaced with a heaviness that travelled from his arm to the rest of his body. Bit by bit, his limbs became docile and before he could form a coherent thought as to what might be happening, he slipped back into a deep state of unconsciousness.

 

* * *

 

When Prompto woke for the second time, he found himself lying uncomfortably on what seemed to be a thin mattress (if it could be called that). It was stiff and smelled weird and fusty. His head was killing him and he tried to make sense of where he was. Everything came back in an instant. Noctis, the train, his arm, the MT's...Ardyn. He was almost too scared to force a glance at his right arm after seeing it's sorry state the first time around but he was shocked to see that from his elbow down, it was firmly encased in a plaster cast. Why would Ardyn Izunia of all people help him? Looking down at the rest of his body, he noticed his usual clothes were replaced with what looked to be a shade of light blue scrubs and his feet were bare.

Prompto rolled onto his back too much in shock and trying to process what was going on to notice the dull pain all over his body. From what it looked like, he came to the conclusion he was in some kind of cell. It was small (as cells typically are), made entirely of smooth light grey concrete and had a stainless steel door in the corner which he presumed was the exit. A fluorescent light hung in the centre of the ceiling giving the room an unnatural light aqua tinge.

Getting to his feet, he made his way to the door and attempted to see of it would budge. The blonde wasn't expecting it to open but he tried anyway. Locked; who would have guessed? Pacing back to the mattress he sat down with his back against the wall and waited. Something was bound to happen sooner or later.

Prompto's thoughts drifted to those of his friends. Were they safe? Would they be looking for him? He sure hoped so, this place, wherever it was, was creeping him out. To make things worse, he soon heard the voice he dreaded the most echoing through the small cell from a speaker in the room's far corner along with a surveillance footage camera that he had failed to notice earlier.

"Ah, I'm pleased to see you awake." Ardyn mocked from the microphone. Prompto huffed.

"Where the hell am I?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

"Where else my boy? Niflheim! You're home, at last." Ardyn chuckled softly into the voice over with what appeared to be excitement.

Prompto's heart sank.

"What the fuck do you _mean_? _Home_?"

"Now, now Prompto, what did I say about language? I am merely trying to make you feel welcome here in this land of greatness." Ardyn replied.

Prompto didn't know what Ardyn was trying to get at but it was pissing him off all the same. He was born in Insomnia. The Chancellor sighed as given from the breath coming through the speaker.

"I can see you're in denial," there was a pause as he continued.

"Tell me Prompto, has it ever occurred to you what that odd marking is on your wrist?"

His blood froze at the question and he couldn't help but stare at his right wrist which was covered in plaster. Prompto was never sure of what the peculiar barcode was. He'd had it since he could remember but always kept it hidden. There was nothing normal with having a tattoo as a kid. As he got older, he continued to keep the markings hidden. If no one saw it then no one would question it. Not that he would know how to answer anyway given he himself didn't know it's meaning or origin.

Ardyn sensed the young man's confusion and jumped in before Prompto could even make a guess.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong here Prompto; I'm not sure if you've noticed but Magitek Troops or 'MT's' as you and your little friend's brand them, they also have these code prints..." He paused waiting to see if Prompto could work out the marking's true meaning for himself. It seemed to work as the gunner shook his head vigorously trying to deny the thought.

"No," he breathed "NO, I'm not one of them! I'm a Lucian!"

"I know the truth often hurts but, in this case, you should feel blessed, my boy," Ardyn teased. "Niflheim technology is advancing by the minute and you will make a spectacular test subject."

Prompto was having an internal breakdown now. Ardyn was toying with him. Just like he was with Noct on the train which landed him in this situation in the first place. How in The Six was he going to get out of this? He was going to be made into one of those, those...things. An MT. A mindless puppet used for The Empire's advantage. A traitor to Insomnia. A traitor to Regis, Noctis, Gladio and Ignis.

'No.' he thought again.

He wasn't going to go down without a fight. He had to keep a cool head and not let his wandering thoughts get the better of him. Noctis would come. They would all come and find him and he would be fine. He just had to stay positive, like he always did in situations like this. The purple haired man entered his mind again through the speaker.

"I can see you're having a difficult time digesting this Prompto. I'll leave you with your thoughts for now, however, be sure to wake bright and early to start the first round of treatments."

The audio connection went dead leaving the cell in eerie silence. He bowed his head down, his good hand running through his unusually limp straw locks. If it wasn't for the lack of contents in his stomach, he would have vomited right there and then. Without warning, the bulb in the cell was turned off and with that Prompto was left to mull over the news he had been presented with and the impending dread of what was to come of his time here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you again for your support on my story. It really means a lot ^^
> 
> I've got a couple ideas in my head of where I want this to go but I'm not 100% sure yet if I want to make it a happy or heartbreaking ending. Maybe I could do both? Who knows. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Prompto lay on his side in the pitch darkness of his cell. His thoughts had eventually come to a halt and he was now staring into nothing but the black oblivion that surrounded him, as though in a trance. His whole being ached. Physically and mentally he was drained between falling off the train and being told he was born with the intention of becoming an MT. The mere thought made his stomach turn once again.

His moment of peacefulness was rudely interrupted by the hiss and beep of his cell door unlocking. Light flooded into the small space and Prompto squinted against the offending brightness, rising to a sitting position trying to make out who had opened the door. Stood before the entrance was a man wearing a lab coat that was unbuttoned. Under the spotless white coat, he wore a white shirt with a faint light green checked print and black formal trousers. His face was stern as were his deep chocolate eyes that bored into Prompto's crystal clear blue ones. His hair was an unusual mix of what looked to be light brown with a hint of red and it was mid-length with unruly waves that framed his young face. Glancing at him Prompto didn't feel greatly intimidated by him. He wasn't much taller than himself and their builds were similar. For all he knew he was just an unfriendly looking doctor. The man walked into the cell and approached the blonde slowly which made him rethink his last judgement. He suddenly felt uneasy as he saw his form towering over his weak position on the smelly mattress, failing to break eye contact as he spoke.

"You can come willingly. Fail to do so and you'll be subdued." His voice lacked emotion and he continued to stare at Prompto sitting below him. Anger rose within him and without taking the time to think about the consequences of his words, he spoke confidently with pure hatred towards the brunette.

"Go to hell."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Prompto regretted his choice of words. A familiar metallic sound entered his ears. Looking over to the door he saw two MT's enter the cell. Before he could register what was going on, electricity pulsed through him causing the already acute ache in his body to take over as he fell back onto his side, seizing violently. His body jerked all over the thin mattress which wasn't doing much to ease his suffering. He was close to passing out when the electrical energy was brought to an end and was left panting in an agonising daze. Before he could gather his thoughts, he was roughly pulled to a standing position with the help of the two MT's that had just tased him within an inch of his life. His feet dragged along the cold stone and he was brought outside the cell and placed roughly onto a gurney where the doctor strapped his limbs tightly.

Through unfocused eyes, he could see the bright lights on the ceiling come and go within his field of vision as he was wheeled to God knows where. Sets of double doors clattered as the end of the gurney was pushed against them, forcing them to separate. The pace he was going at slowed down and the pressure on his bindings was loosened. If he had the energy he would try making a run for it there and then but his limbs were like rubber, flopping loosely as he was lifted and transferred to a cold hard metal table. The chill from the stainless steel made him shiver. By now his vision had cleared somewhat and he could make out that from the sterile smell infecting his nostrils and the glaring group of circular lights above him he was in some sort of medical unit.

Panic seeped into him once more and his breathing hitched as metal clamps secured themselves over his legs and arms. Experimentally, he shifted his limbs but they were completely fastened within the cool clutches of the metal around them. The doctor from before moved into his field of vision and was looking at something on an tablet. He placed it down before moving his attention to a metal trolly and wheeled it over to Prompto's left. From his position on the table, he couldn't make out exactly what was on it but he knew deep down it would be nothing good. The doctor was silent throughout the whole process. Prompto finally decided to break the silence.

"What are you going to do to me?" He couldn't help but let his voice waver slightly from the initial shock of the taser earlier and the unease that he felt. He wasn't expecting an answer but much to his surprise the man spoke.

"I'm sure Chancellor Izunia gave you the gist of it. Surely your skull can't be that thick."

Prompto scowled at the jibe but remained silent. His tongue had gotten him into trouble once today, he didn't want to be tased for the third time in twenty-four hours. He watched the man's movements as he worked meticulously and professionally. It reminded him of Ignis preparing a meal for the group which now felt like a distant memory. He picked up a tourniquet from the tray and wrapped it around Prompto's defined bicep pulling tightly to increase the blood flow to his elbow. After some prodding around the inner part of his elbow in search of a vein, Prompto felt the scratch of a needle entering his pale skin. 

"Just some blood samples for now and some other minor tests."

The fact the doctor didn't elaborate any further on these 'minor tests' made Prompto's uneasiness increase. The man switched his attention back to the blood samples and removed the needle and tourniquet in one swift motion. He then reached for a syringe containing a clear liquid and inserted it into Prompto's arm once again. The medicine flowed through his system and he found himself relaxing into the cold metallic table. His thoughts were clear but his body was refusing to cooperate. He tried lifting his head to see more of what the doctor was doing but it was impossible, it felt like lead. His eyes darted around as the table was moved from the stationary position and was moving further into the medical facility. It was then that Prompto first realised just how spacious the room actually was. There were several devices he didn't recognise around the room as well as more surgical tables and space for procedures to take place. If his body didn't feel like a dead fish, he would have shivered. High above all this was what looked to be an observation room but the glass appeared to be tinted.

He was wheeled down two other corridors before he reached another room this time with a large white circular piece of machinery in the middle. It looked vaguely familiar as if it belonged in a hospital or something, not the central scientific base of the Imperial army. The doctor set it up with some presses of buttons on the side as another person moved into his field of vision and began removing the restraints on his body. This time it was an older woman who much like the doctor looked deprived of any emotions, not even so much as sparing him a glance. No matter how hard he tried, it was impossible to even so much as twitch his finger. Whatever that guy gave him, it seemed to be doing the trick. With the help of the young man, his boneless form was lifted onto a bed which was attached to the machine.

The doctor and the woman disappeared from his line of sight but he could tell they couldn't have gone far. He heard a door opening and then closing again before the machine started to whirl and slowly but surely the bed his body was placed onto began moving through the machine. It took around what Prompto guessed to be an hour before he was placed back onto the cold metal table and strapped firmly back into place and wheeled back into the main medical unit. His body was still tingling from whatever the doctor had given him but his senses were still sharp and he could make out him speaking to someone. The lack of response made him realise the doctor was on the phone to someone.

"From the scan, it seems there's no trace of recognition in his brain. He's a clean slate, absolutely no development as far as I'm concerned...Yes. I agree, Sir. It would be necessary for surgery to begin the process."

Prompto felt sick listening to what was being discussed right next to him. Brain scan? Clean slate? _Surgery?_ His heart thudded in his ribcage as the doctor finished up the conversation.

"I can prepare him immediately. Yes...Yes, sir." 

With that, the conversation ended. He heard shuffling going on in the background as if the man was preparing something and he returned to the blonde with an oxygen mask and tank that were set up in the relevant area. His heart was beating so fast he feared it might explode from his chest. He hadn't felt fear like this since Leviathan was awoken in Altissia. At least back then he had his friends on his side to help him through it. If it wasn't for the drug he was given earlier he would have been trembling as he saw the mask come into contact with his face. He tried to move away from it but it was futile. The gas flowing through the mask reached his lungs and took immediate effect. If his body was like lead before, it was now weightless. He stared at the fluorescent lights above him as he tried to fight against the overwhelming sleepiness that took over his senses before the room melted into oblivion.

 

* * *

 

"Noct? W-What are you doing?"

His voice rattled as he asked his best friend, who was standing above him with his own pistol locked in his hand and aimed at his freckled face. His surroundings were dark, he couldn't make out where he was, it was as though he had fallen into some black void. Noctis looked straight through him, his eyes filled with determination and a hint of sympathy.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." he said quietly, emotion lacking in his husky voice. 

With that, the trigger was pulled.

 

* * *

 

Prompto lifted his heavy eyelids as the medical facility he was slowly becoming used to came into view. Blinking a couple of times to clear his blurred vision didn't seem to do the trick, instead it made him feel worse. The room swam in front of him as he began to feel bile rise up through his esophagus. He was struggling to find the strength to move his head to the side due to a new wave of sharp pain that emitted from the back of his neck. Dread settled over him as he realised he was going to vomit. Someone to his left was shuffling around but they paid no heed to his struggles. Pain wracked through his head and neck as he began heaving with alarm as it failed to make it past his lips, causing him to cough and choke on the vile liquid. A different voice spoke with authority over his struggles this time.

"Ivan, please see to our specimen before he chokes on his own vomit for goodness sake."

"Yes, sir." Said the doctor who was the one moving around to his left, ignoring his struggles. Prompto felt a cold hand shift his head as it was tilted to the left to help rid his mouth of the sick gathering there. A disposable paper bowl was placed against his cheek to help catch the vomit as the gunner grimaced at the taste and state of him at this moment in time. 

"Likely the anaesthetic from the surgery." The doctor mused to himself. Prompto looked to the man who he now understood to be known as Ivan. What the fuck had they done to him while he was out? His head was rolled back to its original position on the steel table. He gasped at the pain resonating from his neck. He wasn't the brightest spark but Prompto knew the chances were they had done something to that part of his body. His thoughts were interrupted as a man to his right walked up to him. He looked important. He was much older than Ivan, probably about the same age as Ardyn, maybe olderjudging by his grey hair. His clothes were just as dramatic and stupid looking. Seriously, didn't anyone have any taste here? He eyed his vulnerable form from above him and looked him up and down with a hint of a creepy smile on his aged features. 

"Do you have any idea how special you are?" The man asked. He sounded as creepy as he looked. Prompto looked at the man with complete confusion and disgust.

"I will not become one of those _things_." the blonde spat back, his speech slightly slurred. 

The man laughed mockingly. "No, you see, that's where you are mistaken Prompto," his steely eyes bored into his blue ones as he moved closer to the surgical table and continued. "You were born into this world with a purpose, one that I wished to see through but that was taken away from me. _You_ were taken away from me."

Prompto's face merged into a scowl.

"What the hell are you talking about? You're all crazy! You're trying to break me, you're trying to trick my mind into thinking something else. Just like Ardyn did with Noctis!"

The man shook his head and then lunged his right hand towards his neck, fingers coiling around it in a tight grip. Prompto gasped for air in agony as the man irritated his already tender neck. He leant forward, close enough for Prompto to feel the man's breath on his skin.

"I don't care what you believe but I'm telling you right now out of decency; I brought you into this world and you were going to do great things until Insomnia took you from my clutches, therefore I'm here to deliver justice for your departure. I'm giving you and the Kingdom of Lucis what they deserve." The man hissed into Prompto's face which was slowly turning blue, deprived of oxygen. He let go of his neck in a swift motion, leaving Prompto spluttering and coughing and turned his attention to Ivan.

"Give him the full dose of the 20% enhancement. I want to see what he can do before he's completely broken. I will be in the observation deck of the combat room. Bring him as soon as he's prepped."

Ivan looked like he was going to advise against the man's wishes but he closed his mouth and nodded silently. With that the older man turned, his heavy cape swinging behind him. Ivan prepared an IV for Prompto. He watched him from his position on the table, physically shaking now. His mind was running wild after his encounter with the grey haired man and he unwillingly found himself begging Ivan for mercy.

"P-please I'm...Please don't do this, don-"

"Keep your mouth _shut_." Ivan demanded.

He prepared a cannula for Prompto's good hand, working roughly. His breathing hitched and Prompto found himself crying, tears streaking down his pale face and disappearing into his golden hair. The IV was hooked up and Prompto lay silently for what felt like days before the plastic bag containing a weird pale yellow liquid was drained. At first he didn't feel any different. He was spent from his recent encounter but over time, he noticed his muscles tingling and how he felt more alert. His senses were in overdrive and the saturation of his surroundings was largely increased. Ivan dislodged the breaks on the table and began wheeling him in the opposite direction of the room he visited last time.

Prompto continued to cry silently as he was wheeled down the white hallways until they reached a large room. The walls were lined with MT's all in their dormant modes. Across the way was another observation room this time on the ground floor. At the entrance, he could see the man who had spoken to him earlier holding something triangular in his hand. His eyes moved back to the observation area where he saw Ardyn looking straight at him, smiling menacingly. The blonde's restraints were unlocked and he was ordered to stand by Ivan who was moving the table into the adjoining room where The Chancellor stood. Prompto had to force himself not to take a step back as the older man approached him. The unease he felt was overwhelming. Before the man could be within close proximity of him he stopped and snapped his fingers, awakening two Magitek Troops who restrained Prompto and brought him to his knees before the man.

"Now," he said continuing to stalk over to the vulnerable gunner in front of him.

"Let us see what you can do."

Palpitations where flowing through his chest and he was struggling to keep his breathing in check. He moved behind Prompto and he tried to turn his head in order to see what the man was about to do but it was locked into a stationary posotion with the help of the two MT's on him. There was what felt like an electric shock at the base of his head and then, nothing at all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More pain in this chapter. Sorry not sorry. Enjoy!

The older man known as Verstael Besithia engaged the triangular device he held in his hand and he moved to the back of the blonde. He lined the device along with the three ports that had been surgically implanted onto his captive's neck and connected the electronic triangle enabling the perimeter to glow red, indicating it had made a successful connection with its new host. He ordered the two Magitek Troops to release their hold on the young man and stood at his side, as he remained crouched on the floor. Walking to the front of the young man, he stooped to his level and with a gloved hand, guided the gunner's chin to raise so that his eyes could meet with his own. What he saw excited him. The blue irises had been replaced with blood red. His gaze looked straight through to nothing. There was no life or recognition to them at all. Verstael smiled. It was finally happening.

"Stand." he ordered and without a second thought, Prompto stood, eyes never shifting once. Ivan appeared behind him, ready to take vitals. He proceeded to check his heart rate, pupil dilation and blood pressure. Happy with the results he nodded and moved back to the observation room, returning with an elaborate looking pistol. It was confiscated from Prompto when he was initially found by Ardyn back en route to Tenebrae. Both men moved back to the observation room to accompany The Chancellor who waited patiently for them to complete the process, closing the heavy door behind them.

Ivan moved to a control panel in front of the window and ordered the two MT's at Prompto's side to engage combat. The Magitek Troop to his left lunged for him with its mechanical arm and the blonde easily ducked out of the way, making space between him and the two machines hellbent on killing him. Shots were fired and pieces of metallic armour bounced off of the MT's bodies but it did little to slow them down. One of them extended an arm which reached Prompto's neck from six feet away. It pulled his body close without much effort and proceeded to throw his prone form to the next corner of the room. He rolled to a standstill before rising to his feet, paying no attention to the blood freely flowing down from his hairline. He raised his gun and advanced on the MT which appeared to have sustained more damage, shooting as he moved. When he was in close enough proximity, he kicked the machine in the chest gaining momentum for him to flip backwards and end the MT with one final shot to the face before he landed on his feet in a crouched position. Sensing the other MT to his left, he swung his body around 360 degrees, leg extended to knock it off its feet. Prompto rose to his feet once more and aimed his pistol between the vulnerable MT's eyes shooting three times to end the fight.

The three men looked on from room at the fight in front of them.

"Double the Magitek units. That was a warm up." Verstael said, never taking his eyes off the young man in front of him as though in deep thought.

Ivan nodded silently and ordered four MT's to awaken from their dormant state lining the walls to attack Prompto. This time he was caught off guard by the speed of the MT's. One of the four assailants swung an axe at the shooter, slicing across his lower torso, earning a grunt from him. Blood flowed freely from his wound and spread across his thin light blue top. As the MT went for a second swipe, Prompto reacted fast and grabbed the MT's axe mid-swing, pulling it from its clutches and in one smooth motion, he swung the weapon back, aimed at its neck, decapitating it into a mess of wires and scrap. He threw the axe from his grip and swung it towards an MT in the distance. This time the axe made contact with its forehead, sticking out at an angle as it fell to his knees helplessly. Failing to notice the MT aiming at him in the distance, Prompto was snapped from his trance as a bullet ripped through his left shoulder. A spark emerged from the back of his neck and the gunner clutched the sides of his head writhing in agony as his screams ripped through the massive room. Falling to his knees, he continued to scream as the red dissipated from his eyes and was replaced with its normal blue hue. 

Prompto looked down at himself through the tears in his eyes and saw blood on his hands. There was blood coming from his left side and his shoulder throbbed and stung relentlessly. He didn't know where he was or what was going on. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. The pain in his head was unbearable and more sparks formed at the base of his neck causing his body to spasm before his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped with a thud onto the concrete floor. Ivan ordered the remaining two MT's to freeze into place as he ran from the room to Prompto's side. He was convulsing violently, limbs thrashing as bloody saliva and a thick foam leaked from his mouth. Ivan was ready and jabbed the needle into the helpless man's bicep. It took a few seconds for the drug to take effect but it worked. The seizure subsided from a full on fit to the gunner groaning, eyes glazed and unfocused. By this point Verstael and Ardyn had made their way over to the commotion and looked at Prompto lying uselessly on the floor, bloody still sluggishly dripping from his wounds.

"I feared the enhancement would have had an adverse effect on the motor." Ivan mused to himself.

"What a disappointment." Ardyn stated as he walked away from the scene.

"I will have to tweak the settings," Vesrtael said with a sigh.

"Perhaps we will need to use other means in order to coax his mind away from being human. Take him back to the main ward, treat his injuries then return him to his cell. I have work to do." 

Verstael followed Ardyn who paused at the entrance of the large combat room. He looked at The Chancellor, seriousness on his face as he met his eyes.

"I require your help, Izunia." he said and Ardyn only smiled back, more than willing to comply.

 

* * *

 

Prompto lay on the sorry excuse for a mattress for what felt like hours. He'd been dumped here and awoke with his muscles aching and two new wounds adoring his once perfect body. What had happened only a couple hours ago had been a blur. For the most part, he couldn't remember any of it, only bits and pieces. His hand ghosted the three metal pieces implanted into the back of his neck. They felt inhumane. They didn't belong there. The days began to melt into one another and Prompto could no longer tell just how long he had been locked up in here against his will.

"Noct, Iggy, Gladio...please. Find me before it's too late." Prompto murmured to himself trying not to let his emotions get the best of him.

The door to his cell opened with a hiss but the blonde lacked the motivation to even look and see who it was. His guess would have been Ivan. He normally got the shitty jobs like this. To his surprise it was the older man with the terrible clothing. He still didn't know who he was and at this point, he was past caring. All he knew was that the guy was bad news.

"It's good to see you awake, my boy." he said with a hint of enthusiasm.

Prompto would have scoffed at the welcome but he didn't have the energy to even look at the man. He held his ground and stared past his feet to the wall opposite, barely registering his presence. 

"I understand this is difficult for you Prompto but believe me when I say that this is not only for your benefit but the benefit of the world."

Those words sparked a new lease of life into the exhausted gunner that lay below Verstael. Without hesitation, he stood to his full height and it was only after a small pause that he realised he was actually a good few inches taller than him. But that did nothing to deter from his creepy nature. Acting on instinct and pure rage, Prompto summoned all the strength he had in his left hand and punched the man square in the face. He would have done a better job with his right hand but that was out of action for the time being and he didn't want to make it hurt any more than it did. Verstael stumbled from the blow to his nose and fell on his rear. He looked over the man as he wiped the blood flowing from his nose. It wasn't much but it made Prompto feel good. His anger continued to surge through his body and he grabbed the man's garments and pulled at them tightly, bringing his face closer to his.

" _I will not become one of them._ " Prompto snarled through gritted teeth, his eyes wildly focusing on the man underneath him.

Verstael smirked looking at his puppet above him.

"There is no choice in this matter. No one knows where you are, you are at my mercy. I am delivering justice for your leave nineteen years ago! You are my son and I will have revenge on that foul Kingdom for taking you from me!"

Prompto seized at the mention of the word 'son'. What the hell was this guy even talking about? He'd been born and adopted in Insomnia, his parents never had a great relationship with him. They were always gone with work and other matters that he never knew of. This continued for several years until it became a normal occurrence. The blonde had grown accustomed to his own isolated ways until one day the parents he once knew vanished from his life altogether. Prompto knew all too well just how delusional The Empire was and so so simply thought this was another trick to make him crack.

"Who are you?" Prompto asked with uncertainty.

The man's gaze burned into Prompto's.

"Verstael Besithia and I am your biological father." he said simply. Prompto shook his head.

"Father? _Father?!_ You-You're out of your mind! You're trying to break me apart bit by bit by pulling shit like this but it won't work! You're lying!" With that, he punched him one more time and made a break for the door which was still lying open. There was an MT standing to the right of the open door but he didn't risk fighting it bare handed as it lunged for him, missing him by inches. Instead, he made a mad dash for the double doors down the left hallway. His left shoulder and lower torso ached with the fresh wounds but he ran as fast as he could possibly muster. He glanced at any other routes that led to his left or right as he ran down the hallway but they all appeared to require key cards in order to get through them. Continuing to run, he heard a door slam open behind him. Prompto whipped his head around to see the MT and Verstael who was seething, standing next to it. As he turned is attention back to that in front of him he was met with Ardyn. His body froze as he came to a halt in front of The Chancellor. Ardyn stalked slowly towards the blonde like he was preparing to torture a small animal.

"Please...let me go..ple-"

Prompto's attempts were cut off as Ardyn simply lifted a finger and pressed it to his forehead. Prompto was quivering with fear and adrenaline by now but as soon as The Chancellor made contact with him, he felt his legs give way beneath him as his sight lost focus. The last thing he remembered was the feeling of him being caught in someone's arms as he fell forwards and his surroundings faded to nothing.

 

* * *

 

Prompto woke much easier this time. He felt more alert as he tried to move his body but found himself bound to a new sort of torture device. He was stood upright with his arms outstretched at each side. His head hung as he recovered from his bout of unconsciousness but as he tried to lift it to get a look at his surroundings, it was forced back down against his chest.

"Don't move." Ivan said from somewhere behind him.

He could hear the whirl of machines and he appeared to be in a much smaller room this time. It was no bigger than his cell and in front of him was an adjoining room with tinted glass. He felt his neck spasm slightly as something was plugged into one of the ports earning a grunt from the blonde. His breathing hitched as another probe was inserted into a port and by this point, he was in agony. He didn't even feel the third one being inserted as pain overwhelmed him. He was practically screaming by this point.

"He's all set for the adjusted programming test." Ivan said to someone in the observation room.

"Stop, please, make it stop!" Prompto yelled. His voice sounded alien to him, it was as if it was echoing throughout his conscious. He'd never sounded so desperate in all his life. There was a high pitched whirl from a machine behind him before he lost all thought of what was going on around him.

Ivan approached the gunner and lifted his limp head to check his pupils which were now red, indicating the transmission had been a success as Ardyn appeared from the observation room and walked over to the helpless young man before him with a smirk upon his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for every comment/kudos/bookmark/subscription. You've no idea how happy it makes me feel! This chapter is a little longer, I hope you enjoy ^_^

"...rom...prom...can you he..."

Prompto regained his senses sluggishly. He could hear someone saying his name through the haze that clouded his muddled brain but the voice was too far away to pay any mind to it.

"pro...to...wake up...!"

This time the voice sounded more urgent. With the small ounce of willingness his body had left in him, he cracked his eyes open. It was bright and for a second he began to think he was back under the blinding lamp located in the medical unit. The stark whiteness soon dissolved and the room around him came into view. As his sight returned, so did his hearing. 

"Prom? Thank the Gods. Can you hear me?"

The voice sounded familiar. In fact, he'd known that voice for years. His vision focused on the figure above him and it confirmed his thoughts.

"N-noct?" he asked, voice breaking with a combination of disbelief and it's lack of activity. He couldn't help but feel relief wash over him. It overwhelmed his being and as much as he hated to admit it, he cried. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks and Noctis comforted him, embracing him tightly.

"It's okay. You're okay. We're here."

Prompto pulled away from the embrace Noctis shared with him to look over his friend's shoulder. Behind him stood Gladio who looked tense but relieved and Ignis stood to his left, concentrating on the slightest sound for an indication of what the scene played like before him.

"It's really you right?" Prompto asked with a hint of uncertainty. "This isn't some bullshit Ardyn is pulling again is it?"

Noct closed his eyes and shook his head gently, sincerely indicating it was in fact the truth.

"It's us, I promise."

The words only made the blonde tear up once more.

"You guys came. After what happened on the train...I didn't think I'd see you guys again but you really did come." He said between sobs. Ignis spoke up at that moment.

"Leaving a valuable member of The Crownsguard behind was never an option from the get-go." He said confidently.

This only warmed Prompto's heart further as he smiled.

"Can you stand?" Gladio asked looking over his injuries, approaching his other side. The gunner nodded. His muscles felt weak from the lack of movement but with the help of Noctis and Gladio, he managed to stand.

"We should make haste. It won't take long for more Magitek Troops to appear" Ignis said.

"Let's get out of this place." Prompto agreed with a new found determination.

He was finally getting out of this cesspit. Away from The Empire, away from Ivan, Ardyn and the very man who had brought him into this world. Life would probably never be the same again for him after finding out who he truly was but when the time was right, he would tell the others of his identity. How they would react would be another matter. Noctis and Gladio had a tendency to let their anger get the better of them, he knew that. Iggy, not so much. He wasn't hot-headed and managed to keep calm in even the most desperate of situations. Despite the flaws in his friend's personality, he also knew they were understanding, loyal, true friends who he had grown to deeply care about over time. He would do anything for them. He owed them this much. How they would take the news was unknown but right now, their main priority was to get as far away from this place as possible.

"Gladio, you take up the front. Noctis and I will support from the rear. Prompto, try to keep yourself protected. You're in no condition to be engaging in combat right now." Ignis ordered.

Prompto was about to protest but knew the advisor was right. His whole body was a state. Noctis had managed to unlock the majority of the hallways within the fortress and with the occasional fight in between, they finally made their way to what appeared to be another control room. The doors leading from this one were locked and so, Gladio, Noctis and Prompto got to searching the surrounding area to see if there was any indication as to how to get out of the room. His attention was brought to Gladio as he spoke over the hum of the computers within the room.

"The hell...?" He said to no one in particular. Prompto turned to find Gladio staring at him from across the room. There was a look of complete and utter disbelief on his face. Prompto was about to ask what was wrong when his attention moved to the computer monitor behind Gladio that he was observing seconds ago. On it was what looked to be a report of sorts but the thing that caught his eye was the pictures. Pictures of him. Pictures of his barcode, in plain sight. Pictures of him under going the surgery that saw him with the three ports being implanted into his neck. He panicked and spoke up, trying to offer an explanation.

"Gladio, it's not what it looks like. I didn't kn-"

"Bullshit! You knew. You knew this whole time and you never thought to say anything?"

Noctis and Ignis both looked on at the two before Noctis asked what on earth was going on.

"Take a look for yourself." Gladio said bitterly, moving out of the way allowing him to see the monitor.

"You're an MT? A slave to The Empire?" Noctis asked incredulously.

Prompto was having a full-on panic attack by now. They weren't meant to find out this way. It wasn't his fault. Tears streaked his pale freckled face as he stared silently at Noctis' feet.

"I-I didn't know. They were trying to-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Noctis said emotionlessly. He lifted his head and his violet eyes looked back into Prompto's crystal blue orbs, rimmed with red from his tears.

"I never wanted to admit it but I always had this feeling about you, Prompto. At school, how you were always hanging around Noctis. This was your plan from the start, wasn't it? Be The Empire's puppet for the sake of your people." Ignis said disappointedly.

Prompto was shaking all over, the words cut deep even though he knew the truth of the matter. He took a step forward, trying to make his friend's see sense.

"N-no! Please, you've gotta believe me here. I didn't kn-grh"

Prompto never got to finish his explanation. In the blink of an eye, Noctis had warped from his position across the room and summoned a dagger, lunging it into Prompto's gut. His eyes were wide with shock and pain. Looking down at the dagger, he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He coughed, a string of bloody saliva emerged from his mouth as he looked back into Noctis' eyes. 

"Noct, p-please." He begged with what little strength he had left. Noctis twisted the blade into the blonde's abdomen further, earning a grunt of agony from him before he leant in further and whispered into his ear.

"I hope Hell welcomes you with open arms." He said his voice dripping with malice. In one swift movement, he removed the blade roughly, allowing Prompto to crumple onto the floor, blood spilling from his body. He tried to speak again but it quickly merged into gurgles as more blood made it past his lips. The last thing he saw was Noctis, Gladio and Ignis looking down at his pathetic form on the floor below them as darkness swallowed him whole.

 

* * *

 

Prompto's eyes flew open. They were wide, darting around the room he was in. He didn't have a clue where he was, or how he got there. His breathing was erratic as he heard some alarms going off in the room he was situated. Vomit began to rise up his throat and his body trembled unconformably as the tell-tale signs of a seizure began to play out. Before the convulsions started, he felt something tugging from his neck before feeling himself being released from whatever was holding him in place and fell to the floor with a dull thud. His body shook violently on the floor as Ardyn and Ivan watched from above. Ivan appeared to be timing the duration of the seizure.

"I want to see if it will settle before I need to intervene." He explained to The Chancellor who started at the fitting gunner at his feet.

Ivan continued to keep a sharp eye on his wrist watch and any sign of the seizure subsiding. If anything, the blonde continued to writhe on the floor and the convulsions began to become more and more erratic. Veins were popping out on his temples and forearms but that wasn't what alarmed the doctor. What unsettled him was the colour. They were what appeared to be a deep blue, almost black in colour. Far darker than any normal person's veins that were near the surface of their skin. Prompto continued to convulse, only the whites of his eyes showing as yet more vomit made it past his lips. After five minutes, Ivan decided to intervene and prepared a syringe with a clear liquid within it. He jabbed it into Prompto's bicep noting how thin it had become over the time he had spent here. He would need to get some nutrients into him if Verstael wanted him alive.

Slowly but surely, Prompto's fit came to an end and he was left with his eyes closed, taking shaky breaths and seemingly unconscious to the world around him. Ivan remained stooped down and pulled out a pen light to check Prompto's pupils. They were fully dilated, a thin ring of bright blue surrounded the perfect black circle. He moved to his left eye, checking it to see if it was identical, which it was. Before he could release the gunner's eyelid, something caught his attention. Faster than he could comprehend, the black pupil which was fully blown shrunk to the size of a pin. Out of nowhere, Prompto's eyes snapped open at his own accord. With an iron grip, he wrapped his skinny fingers around Ivan's neck and stood, launching Ivan's body to the opposite side of the small room, where it collided with the observation room's tinted glass. The impact broke the glass into a spider-web like pattern as Ivan fell to the floor unceremoniously.

Prompto then switched his attention to that of Ardyn who stood in amazement and shock. Before he could make a move on him, The Chancellor raised his hand in an attempt to summon magic to stop the rabid blonde in his tracks. It had no effect. He couldn't understand why. Prompto's left fist was preparing to collide with his face but Ardyn acted fast this time and grabbed his forearm before it could make contact with him. The strength emitting from Prompto took Ardyn by surprise and using his distraction to his advantage, he swept his right foot under The Chancellor as he lost his balance and fell to the floor on his back. From there Prompto moved his bare foot to Ardyn's neck pushing down mercilessly. Ardyn tried yet again to summon the use of his magic but it was futile. It was having no effect whatsoever on the man above him, in fact, Ardyn's attempts to protect himself only seemed to anger Prompto further. Spluttering for air, Ardyn's vision was tunnelling as darkness crept to the edges of his vision. Above him, he saw the blue in Prompto's eyes change to red as his stoic expression merged into a smile.

The pressure was released on Ardyn's neck as Prompto let out an almost inhuman howl of annoyance from above him. His broken right arm felt around his left shoulder blade and bicep, feeling two small darts protruding from the two areas. Ivan lowered the gun from his position on the floor, breathing a sigh of relief. The drug took effect almost instantaneously as his arm turned to jelly, dropping back to his side. He grunted, trying to overcome the tranquillizer, moving towards the door leading from the room he was in. Before he could even take three steps, his legs gave way from beneath him and his body made rough contact with the ground below him as he slipped into a deep induced sleep. Ivan lowered the gun he had used on Prompto moments ago and wincing, made his way to the phone hanging on the wall next to him.

"Bring me a gurney to monitoring room 3." Ivan said into the phone he was still trying to catch his breath from the scene that played before him. He hung up the phone and then dialed a different number waiting patiently for the person on the receiving end to pick up.

"Sir, you may want to meet me in the medical unit. We have much to discuss." Ivan said excitedly but tried to keep his voice calm and steady.

Verstael smiled on the other end of the telephone. "I sincerely hope these discussions will be more positive than last time?" he asked with enthusiasm.

"Very much so. " Ivan answered with equal twisted enthusiasm in his tone.

 

* * *

 

Ardyn watched over Prompto who was dead to the world and back in the medical ward after the episode he had just had in the monitoring room. He looked almost peaceful in his state. Ivan was next to him, preparing a tube which would lead from him nostril down his oesophagus and into his stomach in order to help maintain his nutrition. The blonde stirred slightly with the effects of the drugs eventually wearing off and Ivans rough attempts to force the tube down his nasal passage. He coughed weakly swallowing hard to try and rid the unnatural feeling of the tube being eased down as Ivan refrained from pushing anymore and secured the tube to Prompto's face with a piece of surgical tape. His eyes cracked open focusing on nothing but the bright light above him. 

Where was he again? The last he remembered they had just set up camp. Wait, 'they'? Who were 'they' again? His mind searched as his brows furrowed trying to think, trying to remember. Why couldn't he remember? His vision was out of focus but he felt something mechanical move from under his head, raising it slightly. He sensed someone to his left and then felt and unnatural tugging and pressure from behind his neck. It stung, like a strong electric shock but after that, his mind went blank. There were no conscious feelings in his head, just emptiness as the brightness around him turned to grey and he knew no more. 

Verstael entered the room making Ivan jump as he adjusted the final connector into the port at the base of Prompto's neck. Prompto's eyes were half lidded as he stared into oblivion. Red lacing his once blue irises. Turing to Ivan and The Chancellor, Verstael spoke.

"Tell me everything." He said calmly.

Ivan proceeded to re-tell the story that had taken place only minutes ago as both older men listened intently.

"Everything was going smoothly until he began seizing again. I waited to see if it would recede but I was forced to intervene. After that he just kind of lost it."

"And what do you mean by 'lost it' exactly?" Verstael sneered. Ardyn piped up at that point, interrupting Ivan as he prepared to explain himself.

"He awoke and seemed possessed gained unnatural strength. I tried to use magic to subdue him but even that was futile. It was as if he attained a completely inhumane aura."Ardyn said thoughtfully looking at the prone man lying on the steel table in front of him as he continued.

"It's clear the connector is having more of a positive effect on his mental state than previously and from what I conducted in his hallucination, it's only a matter of time before he loses himself completely."

Verstael paused thinking over the man's words. 

"Now would be the perfect time to try the enhanced healing and strength components. Remove the cast from his arm and keep a close eye on the results. Keep him connected for the time being-"

"But sir, keeping him connected for a long period of time could result in memory degradation and potential brain damage." Ivan argued.

"You are in no position to tell me what to do boy. My word is final. I expect an update in the next few hours on the results of his injuries and be sure to prepare him for another combat test." He demanded sternly as he turned to leave the medical room, Ardyn following closely behind. Both men walked in silence, shoes clicking against the pristine white tiles of the corridor. Ardyn stopped in his tracks, causing Verstael to turn and look at him questionably before he raised his gaze to the other man.

"They've arrived."

 

* * *

 

Noctis' lungs were on fire as he ran for his life from the Deamons surrounding the elevator ahead of him. He had to find Gladio and Ignis but that was easier said than done when he lacked the power from the Crystal that the damned Chancellor had gotten his filthy hands on. The ring was effective but much like the crystal itself, excessive use left him weak. He could feel the effects of its power seeping into his being every time he was in a situation dire enough to use it. Making his way through yet another corridor that looked the same as the last, this time he saw a flash of gold.

"Prompto!" he cried desperately sprinting towards the blond with a new found vigour. He turned the corner to see his friend standing eerily still at the end of the next corridor, twitching slightly. It reminded him of a video game he and his friend once played when they were younger. The prince was sceptical at Prompto's statement when he persuaded him to buy it claiming it would be 'fun'. They didn't even make it past the third level before Prompto was begging Noctis to turn the console off. His thoughts returned to the present as his run died to a walk filled with uncertainty.

"Prompto, it's me." he said approaching him. As he reached a hand to touch his friend's bare shoulder, the image melted into reality as a crazed MT lunged for him. It nicked his shoulder causing Noctis to growl in pain and frustration. How could he have fallen for Ardyn's tricks again? Taking care of the MT was a challenge, even with the ring of Lucis at his disposal. Something was different about them. They were more violent and much stronger than he remembered. What kind of sick stuff was The Empire creating now? His wandering thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind. His main goal right now was ensuring the safety of his friends and claiming back what was rightfully his.

 

* * *

 

Ivan scribbled notes as he commanded Verstael's orders. It had been one hour since the healing supplement was injected into Prompto and he occasionally prodded and felt around the area for any changes. Much to his amazement, the bone felt normal and with the help of another assistant, he x-rayed the appendage in order to confirm his assumptions. It was as if the bone hadn't been broken at all in the first place. Along with the bone, the scrapes and various other wounds Prompto had attained from his time here were now practically invisible with the exception of white scars that littered his lithe body. The red eyes that the blonde now possessed stared into oblivion. They held no recognition whatsoever. Ivan detached the feeding tube that was hooked up to his specimen earlier and proceeded to prepare an IV with the now 'new and improved' strength supplement that Verstael had tweaked. The liquid encased within the bag looked more opaque than before but he trusted Verstael's work and admired the creations he had complied over the years he had worked along side him.

As the medicine flowed through his system, the red in his eyes brightened, in fact, Ivan would go as far to say that they glowed. Every so often his arms and legs would spasm but Ivan paid no mind to them, assuming it was merely the medicine at work. He glanced at the young man's arms as he noticed that yet again the veins darkened and travelled up past his elbow as they faded into his shoulders and neck. Scribbling down yet more notes, Ivan was pulled from his thoughts as the IV beeped incessantly indicating the bag had drained. He removed the needle as well as the probes sticking out of the back of Prompto's neck. The effect was instantaneous as the blonde gasped, however the red in his eyes remained albeit slightly duller now. No words came out of his mouth as the room around him came into view, everything had a slightly pink tinge but he didn't find himself questioning it. In fact, he didn't even have a clue where he was for that matter but that didn't alarm him in any way. Neither did the fact that there was a man he didn't recognise next to him, moving the metal bed he was located on as he wheeled it down a hallway. They made it to a large room, the walls lined with what looked like robot soldiers. This was a really weird dream he was having. They eventually came to a halt and the clasps around his arms and legs were unlocked. 

"Stand." someone ordered. Their voice sounded strange. It was echoing slightly in his ear drums but before he could question it, he noticed he had unconsciously commanded the voice and found himself standing on the cold concrete. Something was wrong with him, that much was sure but he found himself not caring. As quickly as the thought would enter his mind, it would exit again like a distant memory. He could hear the rattle of the table move away in the distance as someone moved behind him and firmly locked something on to his neck before the world around him dissolved to nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I owe everyone a biiiiig apology. I am so, so sorry it has taken this long for me to update. I deserve a slap, or 40. I was in the process of moving back to the UK from Spain in May and between being lazy, looking for jobs and playing copious amounts of Overwatch it's only taken me 3 months to update. ANYWAY, I've taken the decision to double up the chapter sizes in order to make them a bit more substantial. I hope that's okay with everyone? From now on chapters may take longer to update but will be around 3K. If you have any feedback please tell me! But be gentle. I hope you guys enjoy this one :)
> 
> Sorry in advance for any errors.

His movements were swift yet mechanical at the same time as Prompto took down the umpteenth Magitek that threatened to attack him. He had various scratches decorating his bare forearms and a significantly deep one that ran from his temple down to where the outer corner of his eye began from a near miss when he reached level 8 of the combat test. Verstael, Ardyn and Ivan observed him through the thick glass panel at the front of the room. The Chancellor and his father stood still watching the blonde's movements, completely fixated on him intently as he mindlessly tore through the robots, not holding back as he quickly reloaded the dual pistols that were provided to him. Ivan stood behind both men scribbling notes, looking up periodically whilst keeping a close eye on the stats projected on a holographic image display to his left. Physically he was there when the cerebral control unit was connected to him. He was sharper in his combat and overall more of what a soldier should be, but he wasn't invincible and the hours of harrowing fighting were taking its toll on their specimen. 

The blonde stood, sweat dripping from his limp greasy locks that trickled and meandered down his neck. He gained control of his breathing and awaited the next wave of MT's like he was ordered to at the beginning of the session by a man whom he didn't remember. That wasn't important, what was important was the single MT stalking towards him. Only one this time? He didn't dwell on the idea for long, it would be destroyed before it knew what hit it anyway. The blonde raised his guns again as the robot brainlessly moved towards him. The image melted into that of a black haired man who looked to be around the same height as himself. He wore black from head to toe and although his brain ordered him to prepared to shoot, something else deep down told him not to. The thought was quickly dismissed as the man before him materialised a sword in his hand and lunged for the blonde. Prompto easily dodged the initial attack merely stepping to the side in the blink of an eye. As he prepared to counter, the ebony haired man raised his sword quicker than he anticipated forcing him to block the attack with his weapons. His strength was like nothing he had ever experienced before. This opponent alone was going to be difficult. Looking up close he realised his irises were red and he sported a menacing grin on his face which didn't seem to compliment his young sharp features. Somewhere deep in his conscience, Prompto knew this person but as soon as the thought surfaced it was pushed back under by an unknown force.

"You're nothing but a puppet to The Empire. And to think I was your ally..."

The male sneered, his voice distorted. It echoed and held and unnatural snarl that was like something one could only describe as Daemonic. Following orders from before was his primary objective and with all the strength he could muster Prompto forced the man away from him and quickly shot at his leg. The gunner scowled internally as the bullet grazed the man's thigh and proceeded to advance on him.

"You were better off dead from the beginning!"

This guy was such a pest and he needed to be taken care of. Immediately. The dark haired man stalked towards him as he swung his sword yet again. Prompto was quick this time and backflipped out of the blade's path quickly targeting his enemy square in the chest. Without a second thought, he shot. The man stumbled back but remained in a favourable position as he swung for Prompto's right hand causing both guns to fly from his grip and spin to the opposite side of the room. Dodging a series of attacks once again he made it to the scattered pistols and nursed his now injured right wrist that was bleeding heavily with a significant flap of skin slapping against the other piece of flesh that remained attached to the muscle. Ignoring the pain that emitted through his wrist, Prompto aimed his guns for a second time and unloaded a full round into the man. In a flurry of blue, his opponent easily deflected the bullets made for him. Before he could register what was happening, the man was directly in front of the blonde and slashed at his torso quickly managing to make a significant slit in Prompto's naval region. He grunted and attempted to reverse away from the danger in front of him but only made it two steps back before falling to one knee. The man stooped to his level lifting his head with a gloved hand forcing their eyes to meet. He huffed mockingly scanning Prompto's pale face.

"You're just as pathetic as The Empire's toy, never mind a human being." The man whispered close to Prompto's ear. 

At the statement made for him, something snapped in the blonde. Quick as a flash he reached to the man in front of him wrapping his fingers around his neck applying a crushing pressure to his windpipe. The man was taken off guard not expecting his target to lunge for him. He tried to summon his blade yet again but Prompto was one step ahead forcing his body weight into his causing him to land on his back. The gunner shifted his knees over the enemy's biceps preventing his arms from flailing around. 

"Pathetic?" Prompto asked though it was difficult to tell who he was talking to. His eyes were bright red and glazed from what part of his natural pupil shone through. 

"Pa-path-ah-hahaha!" He tried to talk yet again but his voice merged into slurred menacing laughter. His face moved down to that of the black haired man until they were mere inches from one another as he breathed heavily and doubled the grip on the other's neck until he heard a sickening crack. The man's eyes below him went blank and his lids fell partially. The blonde laughed yet again as he lifted the limp neck of the man below him and began pounding his skull into the concrete beneath them. Crack, crack, crack. Prompto kept slamming the head until he saw a steady flow of thick blood roll out from under the man.

A cold hand rested on his shoulder causing him to stop his actions and looked up to see an old man standing above his crouched body. He smiled as he reached behind Prompto's head and tugged at something. There was a significant shocking sensation as the base of his neck as the world reasserted itself before it proceeded to tilt dangerously and his body fell to the floor with a soft thump. He heard people talking above him from his position on the floor but what was being said to him was incomprehensible as the words muddled together.

"A positive improvement from the past session I'm sure you'll agree?" Verstael said looking to Ardyn and Ivan. The younger of the two nodded eagerly at the results they had attainted as Ardyn stared at the motionless figure at his feet staring into nothing.

"They're advancing further," Ardyn said more to himself than anyone else. "It's only a matter of time before his Highness is reunited with his Shield and Advisor. I must go where I am needed Besithia."

With that, Ardyn left the room walking with purpose, his extravagant cape billowing behind him. Verstael and Ivan watched as the Chancellor left the room before turning their attention back to Prompto who was now groaning softly, slowly becoming more aware of his injuries and mindset. 

"Have him patched up and then place him in a stasis pod for the time being. Be sure to have him connected at all times whilst he remains there." 

Ivan nodded paging another two members of medical staff to help him with their subject. He crouched next to the man on the floor measuring his pulse and checking his pupils as he mumbled incoherently on occasion. An older female and younger male both walked in the main entrance of the combat room and approached the two men at the opposite side of the room accompanied with a gurney that rattled insistently against the concrete floor. 

"He's sustained a number of lacerations; the one on his wrist in pretty significant. There's the possibility of a nicked artery judging by how much blood he's lost. " Ivan explained to the two other medical staff. The older woman sighed nodding to her co-worker.

"What a mess," she said under her breath looking down at Prompto as if his current condition was an inconvenience to her. Grabbing his thin bicep along with the other male, they began hoisting the specimen to the gurney. The gunner's eyes seemed to take in more of what was going on around him and tried to put up a fight. The grip on him was strong but he had some fight in him yet, despite his rapidly depleting strength. He shook harder and stronger at the hands wrapped around his appendages and felt another set grab his flailing legs.

"Ngh, NO!" Prompto screamed in desperation. He felt cold metal make contact with his back through the thin cotton adoring his skinny frame sending a chill through his body. The cold hands were replaced with cold metal as he felt straps secure themselves around his wrists and ankles. His back arched off the gurney in an attempt to escape the bonds of metal attached to his limbs. Pain exploded on his left cheek as he felt the crunch of flesh and bone hit his visage. He stilled feeling blood flow from his left nostril.

"Do not make me do something I'll regret," Ivan said coldly looking down at the now still blonde who was now staring off into nothing, breathing heavily.

"Have him sedated and connected to the cerebral control unit whilst you're working on him. At least he won't be unpredictable in his actions." Both doctors nodded as they wheeled the gurney and patient out of the room and into one of the identical looking bright white hallways Prompto has become used to. He couldn't remember how he got to this place but it was horrible none the less. The lights above him moved rhythmically as he was transported to wherever it was he was going. He closed his eyes for what seemed like a minute trying to lull some sense of peace on his senses until the gurney was brought to a halt in a large room. The electric shock from before made contact with his neck as his face went slack. He felt different for a second. Almost what one would describe as being at peace, perfectly normal. Gradually it became harder and harder for him to keep his eyes open as he focused intently on the bright glaring lights above him, his mind blank and blissful as he drifted off under the waves of drowsiness assaulting him.

* * *

Ardyn watched the movement of his three victims intently on the grainy monitors within one of the observation stations at Zegnautus' Keep. The Prince was wilting, the power of the ring taking its toll on his pathetic body. Meanwhile his two comrades were in the west wing of the facility taking on daemons left right and centre. It would be hard to break the two of them together especially with the Advisor's clear, calculating mind. Either he separated the both of them or...he looked to the screen with Noctis hiding within the crevices of a decaying wall stealthily trying to get past a Magiteck Unit. He smirked. He'd already tricked him twice now and it seemed the young Prince was taking no chances in order to salvage his blonde companion. Too bad he was so far gone the poor boy couldn't tell the difference between a Chocobo and a Moogle at this point. Adjusting the microphone he began to speak pressing the button in order to let his smooth voice flow to the lone man.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock. You haven't got all day Noctis, your friends are waiting for you." Ardyn said mockingly watching closely at how quickly the Prince's demeanour changed from annoyed to full on rage at the mere sound of the man's voice.

"Where the hell are they?!" Noctis demanded his voice breaking, struggling to keep his anger in check. Ardyn huffed a small chuckle into the microphone.

"That would ruin the fun. Gladio and Ignis, well, it's almost like the blind leading the blind; no pun intended I assure you. As for Prompto...you'll see in due course." Noctis practically had steam emitting from his ears by this point taking in every word The Chancellor said for any clue as to where his friends may be. They were alive from what he managed to get from him so far. At least Gladio and Ignis both were, Prompto, however, was still M.I.A. He was sure the gunner was alive, he could feel it. Ardyn was the type to toy with his victims before dealing the final blow. If he was wrong, Noctis wasn't sure he could ever forgive himself for his stupidity which saw him here in Nifelheim. He felt sick at the thought. Rather than give Ardyn the satisfaction of a comeback, the Prince remained quiet and pushed on through the drab hallways with new found vigour.

"Don't make the same mistake as you did in Altissia, Noct." 

With that, the line went dead and the silence of the halls engulfed Noctis along with the words Ardyn had left him to mull over. His guts twisted within him as he fought back the tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he trudged on determined, pleading internally to Luna and Regis should they be watching over him in this desperate time of need.

'Dad, Luna. Please if you're here. I need you. _We_ need you. I can't do this alone. Please.'

The tears fell from his eyes, streaming down his cheeks, dripping off of his firm jawline, but he assured himself it would be the last tears that would fall for as long as he allowed it. Moving through the next set of mechanical doors, he focused on his primary goal at this moment in time; helping his friends.

"I'm coming guys. Just a little longer."


End file.
